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Burgers of distinction

The delicious white elephant burger from the Lunch Box is shown in the Star-Banner studio in Ocala, Fla., on Friday, June 28, 2013. The burger features single patty bacon cheese burger on a Tas-T-O glazed donut.

Add cheese, maybe a dribble of mustard and couple slices of dill pickles, and you've got heaven on a bun, a comestible suitable for savoring as a sit-down meal or easy to eat on the go — though really we shouldn't if we're driving.

From the Atlantic to the Pacific, few are the hamlets without a hamburger place. And some burgers are truly memorable.

THAT's what we've been looking for in Marion County of late. And we think we've found a few pounds worth.

With the help of Marion County readers, The Ocala Star-Banner went in search recently of future-legendary burgers, today's burgers of distinction. Many readers offered suggestions with what they considered "the best burger," and all were duly considered.

But we were on a quest for those meals on a bun that linger in the memory long after the final bite. Often unusual creations. And we think we found some:

The White Elephant Burger

The Lunchbox, 103 SE First Ave., Ocala

Named for a nearby resale shop in downtown Ocala, this is a half-pound patty of hand-formed ground beef, a slice of American cheese and two strips of crispy bacon on a glazed Tas-T-O doughnut. "It's a sweet and salty combo," said Lunchbox owner Josh Snyder. The doughnut, he said, is sliced in half and lightly grilled to hold up to the rest of the burger. "We sell a lot of these," he said — so many that Snyder said he has to make a run across town to Tas-T-O for a dozen or so glazed doughnuts two to three times a week.

To celebrate summer a couple years back, The Dugout developed this islands-inspired meal that's a half-pound patty rubbed with Caribbean jerk seasoning and topped with bacon, grilled pineapple rings and a smoky pineapple barbecue sauce on a Kaiser roll. If you don't go through a half-dozen napkins eating it, you're probably using a knife and fork.

"People loved it," said general manager Josh Moreno. It soon became the spot's signature burger, a heavy hitter in the eatery's Hall of Fame burgers that include an up-and-coming newcomer, the Big Papi, which is a blend of ground beef and Moreno's family recipe chorizo with melted pepper jack cheese, avocado and sour cream on a ciabatta bun.

The Belly Buster

Terry's Sports Bar & Grill, 4121 NE 36th Ave., Ocala

This is one of the granddaddies of big burgers in Ocala. Dennis Durst, who inherited this popular spot from his father, Terry, has been offering this full-pound behemoth for 20 years, and "it's pretty popular," he said. The Buster is two half-pound patties of ground chuck topped with American and Swiss cheese, bacon and the fixin's. It also comes in a single-patty size.

Now, a burger like this needs a special bun, and Durst is in at 7 every morning to personally bake the oversized, heavy-duty buns this burger requires. "It's a little different recipe to hold all the juices," he said.

Double Grilled Cheesy Burger

The Lunchbox, 103 SE First Ave., Ocala

There's no polite way to get your mouth around one of these when it's stacked to its full 6-inch height; we're talking a pair of grilled cheese sandwiches on either side of two half-pound burger patties with a couple of extra slices of cheese thrown in for good measure.

"I just made the thing up," said Snyder. "I just wanted to see what else we could do with cheese and burgers." There's not a lot of call for this burger. Yet. And it does come in a single-patty size, plus the grilled cheese sandwiches can be made with other breads such as wheat or rye — presumably to cut down on the calories.

"When my wife wants to go out for a burger, which is about once a month, the only place she will consider is the 110th Street Grill in Belleview. Nothing fancy, just seven ounces of great quality beef grilled to perfection with melted American cheese. Divine!" — Jim Prentice, Ocala

"My wife and I recently lunched at the Ivy House and I decided to try their version (of what we used to call a hamburger all the way). It was, in a word, excellent. The three-quarter pound patty was cooked to perfection — medium rare. The veggies were fresh and crisp and the potato flour roll, slathered with mayonnaise, just melted in my mouth." — Luther Deese, Ocala

"The best burger I've had is the portabella mushroom steak burger at Steak & Shake. I had to talk my son into eating one, and now it's all he talks about." — Beverly Byrne, Ocala

"Without a doubt the best burger in town is at Samantha's Café (State Road 200 just beyond the Withlacoochee River). I had a mushroom provolone burger last night that was scrumptious. Many Ocalans may remember Sammy from the Tailwinds Café in the Ocala Airport." — Marion & Walter Wise, Flanders, N.J.

"The best burger I ever ate was just a couple of weeks ago at the (Muse Café) in Tres Chic in Ocala. This burger had Kobe beef and had me dreaming of another for days." — June Wright, Ocala (note: Tres Chic is currently closed until the end of summer)

"Nancy's Breakfast & Lunch — so delicious! As I was eating my burger I was trying to figure out why it tastes so good, but I couldn't put my finger on any one thing. It is just everything together." — Eddie Robb, Ocala

"The best down-to-earth tastiest burger I have had is at Darrel's Diner on East Silver Springs Boulevard. When I was a young lad, we raised and butchered our own beef, pork, chicken and any other meat we ate. Darrell makes his own breads, grinds his burger and cooked to order. Nothing but the freshest vegetables and always Vidalia onion. All this together just tastes like burgers back home." — Gary Hotalen, Anthony

"My favorite Ocala hamburger is from the Artisinal Dish. True beef flavor satisfies one's desire for the forbidden red meat. But being Wagyu beef, you can delight in this rich quality. No need for condiments or cheese." — Susan Street Peterson, Ocala

"My burger of distinction is the regular hamburger at Nelson's Fish Camp (State Road 42 at the Ocklawaha River). The secret in my opinion is the right amount of fresh ingredients, not low-quality meat and produce that's been sitting around all day or more, served hot with pride and attention to consistent quality. It's not the classiest place, but the scenery and wildlife are fantastic." — Doren Claire, Ocala

"Any burger cooked on my grill. I pick out a really nice steak at Publix and have it ground. I like them rare and by buying a steak and having it ground up for you in front of your very eyes, I feel safer about a rare hamburger." — Peters Clark, Ocala

Rick Allen can be reached at rick.allen@starbanner.com or 352-867-4154.

<p>Is it any wonder it took only a few decades for the burger to jump from new food to America's meal?</p><p>Think about it: a fistful of ground meat, generally grilled "just right" positioned between easy-to-hold slices of carbohydrates.</p><p>Add cheese, maybe a dribble of mustard and couple slices of dill pickles, and you've got heaven on a bun, a comestible suitable for savoring as a sit-down meal or easy to eat on the go — though really we shouldn't if we're driving.</p><p>From the Atlantic to the Pacific, few are the hamlets without a hamburger place. And some burgers are truly memorable. </p><p>THAT's what we've been looking for in Marion County of late. And we think we've found a few pounds worth.</p><p>With the help of Marion County readers, The Ocala Star-Banner went in search recently of future-legendary burgers, today's burgers of distinction. Many readers offered suggestions with what they considered "the best burger," and all were duly considered.</p><p>But we were on a quest for those meals on a bun that linger in the memory long after the final bite. Often unusual creations. And we think we found some:</p><p><b>The White Elephant Burger</b></p><p><i>The Lunchbox, 103 SE First Ave., Ocala</i></p><p>Named for a nearby resale shop in downtown Ocala, this is a half-pound patty of hand-formed ground beef, a slice of American cheese and two strips of crispy bacon on a glazed Tas-T-O doughnut. "It's a sweet and salty combo," said Lunchbox owner Josh Snyder. The doughnut, he said, is sliced in half and lightly grilled to hold up to the rest of the burger. "We sell a lot of these," he said — so many that Snyder said he has to make a run across town to Tas-T-O for a dozen or so glazed doughnuts two to three times a week.</p><p><b>The Big Kahuna</b></p><p><i>The Dugout Sports Bar and Grill, 6833 SE Maricamp Road, Silver Springs Shores</i></p><p>To celebrate summer a couple years back, The Dugout developed this islands-inspired meal that's a half-pound patty rubbed with Caribbean jerk seasoning and topped with bacon, grilled pineapple rings and a smoky pineapple barbecue sauce on a Kaiser roll. If you don't go through a half-dozen napkins eating it, you're probably using a knife and fork.</p><p>"People loved it," said general manager Josh Moreno. It soon became the spot's signature burger, a heavy hitter in the eatery's Hall of Fame burgers that include an up-and-coming newcomer, the Big Papi, which is a blend of ground beef and Moreno's family recipe chorizo with melted pepper jack cheese, avocado and sour cream on a ciabatta bun.</p><p><b>The Belly Buster</b></p><p><i>Terry's Sports Bar & Grill, 4121 NE 36th Ave., Ocala</i></p><p>This is one of the granddaddies of big burgers in Ocala. Dennis Durst, who inherited this popular spot from his father, Terry, has been offering this full-pound behemoth for 20 years, and "it's pretty popular," he said. The Buster is two half-pound patties of ground chuck topped with American and Swiss cheese, bacon and the fixin's. It also comes in a single-patty size. </p><p>Now, a burger like this needs a special bun, and Durst is in at 7 every morning to personally bake the oversized, heavy-duty buns this burger requires. "It's a little different recipe to hold all the juices," he said. </p><p><b>Double Grilled Cheesy Burger</b> </p><p><i>The Lunchbox, 103 SE First Ave., Ocala</i></p><p>There's no polite way to get your mouth around one of these when it's stacked to its full 6-inch height; we're talking a pair of grilled cheese sandwiches on either side of two half-pound burger patties with a couple of extra slices of cheese thrown in for good measure. </p><p>"I just made the thing up," said Snyder. "I just wanted to see what else we could do with cheese and burgers." There's not a lot of call for this burger. Yet. And it does come in a single-patty size, plus the grilled cheese sandwiches can be made with other breads such as wheat or rye — presumably to cut down on the calories.</p><p><b>Other contenders:</b></p><p><b>La Cuisine Burger,</b> freshly ground beef tenderloin on a bun with bleu cheese and garlic aioli sauce; La Cuisine, 48 SW First Ave., Ocala</p><p><b>Wagyu Beef Burger,</b> locally raised Wagyu beef grilled to your liking with sautéed onions and cheese on a fresh-baked brioche roll; Artisinal Dish, 6998 N. U.S. 27, Ocala</p><p><b>Readers' Favorites</b></p><p>"When my wife wants to go out for a burger, which is about once a month, the only place she will consider is the 110th Street Grill in Belleview. Nothing fancy, just seven ounces of great quality beef grilled to perfection with melted American cheese. Divine!" <i>— Jim Prentice, Ocala</i></p><p>"My wife and I recently lunched at the Ivy House and I decided to try their version (of what we used to call a hamburger all the way). It was, in a word, excellent. The three-quarter pound patty was cooked to perfection — medium rare. The veggies were fresh and crisp and the potato flour roll, slathered with mayonnaise, just melted in my mouth." <i>— Luther Deese, Ocala</i></p><p>"The best burger I've had is the portabella mushroom steak burger at Steak & Shake. I had to talk my son into eating one, and now it's all he talks about." <i>— Beverly Byrne, Ocala</i></p><p>"Without a doubt the best burger in town is at Samantha's Café (State Road 200 just beyond the Withlacoochee River). I had a mushroom provolone burger last night that was scrumptious. Many Ocalans may remember Sammy from the Tailwinds Café in the Ocala Airport." <i>— Marion & Walter Wise, Flanders, N.J.</i></p><p>"The best burger I ever ate was just a couple of weeks ago at the (Muse Café) in Tres Chic in Ocala. This burger had Kobe beef and had me dreaming of another for days." <i>— June Wright, Ocala (note: Tres Chic is currently closed until the end of summer)</i></p><p>"Nancy's Breakfast & Lunch — so delicious! As I was eating my burger I was trying to figure out why it tastes so good, but I couldn't put my finger on any one thing. It is just everything together." <i>— Eddie Robb, Ocala</i></p><p>"The best down-to-earth tastiest burger I have had is at Darrel's Diner on East Silver Springs Boulevard. When I was a young lad, we raised and butchered our own beef, pork, chicken and any other meat we ate. Darrell makes his own breads, grinds his burger and cooked to order. Nothing but the freshest vegetables and always Vidalia onion. All this together just tastes like burgers back home." <i>— Gary Hotalen, Anthony</i></p><p>"My favorite Ocala hamburger is from the Artisinal Dish. True beef flavor satisfies one's desire for the forbidden red meat. But being Wagyu beef, you can delight in this rich quality. No need for condiments or cheese." <i>— Susan Street Peterson, Ocala</i></p><p>"My burger of distinction is the regular hamburger at Nelson's Fish Camp (State Road 42 at the Ocklawaha River). The secret in my opinion is the right amount of fresh ingredients, not low-quality meat and produce that's been sitting around all day or more, served hot with pride and attention to consistent quality. It's not the classiest place, but the scenery and wildlife are fantastic." <i>— Doren Claire, Ocala</i></p><p>"Any burger cooked on my grill. I pick out a really nice steak at Publix and have it ground. I like them rare and by buying a steak and having it ground up for you in front of your very eyes, I feel safer about a rare hamburger." <i>— Peters Clark, Ocala</i></p><p><i>Rick Allen can be reached at rick.allen@starbanner.com or 352-867-4154.</i></p>